Danish modern design Safari Chair by Kaare Klinkt for Rud Rasmussen is one of the most iconic designs. First made in 1933, it integrates simplicity, craftsmanship, and functionality in a manner that has enabled it to be with us almost a century. Light but firm, unpretentious but refined, this chair reflects the vision of Klint about the furniture that pays its respects to tradition and lives up to the contemporary life.
Origins of the Safari Chair
KaareKlint was inspired by campaign furniture pictures that British officers used during African safaris. These foldable portable chairs have been designed to be strong yet easy to carry. Klint reconceived the concept in the elegant Danish spirit: solid oak or ash frames, heavy canvas or leather slings, and perfect workmanship.
Klint designed and presented the chair with Copenhagen cabinetmaker Rud Rasmussen at the 1933 Copenhagen Cabinetmakers Guild Exhibition. It immediately found a following, among them another designer, Arne Jacobsen, who perceived in it the ideal combination of utility and beauty.
Klint made a modern, tool-free, version of the colonial campaign chair, which became one of the first items of furniture in the world to qualify as a flat-pack item, simple to put together, simple to transport, but not to be compromised on quality.
Klint’s Philosophy in Practice
KaareKlint was often referred to as the “father of Danish modern design” and the idea behind furniture was:
- Serve a clear purpose
- Be in proportion to the human body.
- Use materials honestly
- Demonstrate perfect workmanship.
All of these principles are captured in the Safari Chair by KaareKlintfor Rud Rasmussen. It is made in a simple but ingenious way: pegged joints, wooden dowels, and sling supports. Minor details, such as bringing up the front crossbar a notch higher to fit you snugly into the seat or adding leather straps and cushions to add comfort, reveal how Klint paid careful attention to details.
This was design stripped to its essence: nothing superfluous, everything intentional.
Materials and Craftsmanship
The frame of the chair is usually oak, ash or teak with a natural oil finish to show the grain of the wood. The heavy canvas, or thick aniline leather, used in making the seat and backrest is selected due to its durability and comfort. The design is completed with leather arm straps, brass fittings and optional cushions.
All the components are removable and replaceable. The sling seat becomes lovely with patina over time, and the wood darkens with attention. It is furniture that is to wear well--to become more personal as it is used, not less.
A Chair for Modern Interiors
The Safari Chair is almost one hundred years old but it appears very modern. The natural materials and open frame are paired with a vast variety of interiors--Scandinavian, bohemian, industrial or minimal.
- In living rooms, a pair of Safari Chairs creates a relaxed yet elegant conversation area.
- In studies or bedrooms, a single chair makes a stylish reading corner.
- Outdoors, its portability makes it an effortless companion on patios or terraces.
It has been acclaimed by designers as a piece of statement and as a multifunctional seat. Combining wood and leather, it cozies up contemporary rooms and still amazes with its touch of decadence. This, as many observe, is a chair that “transcends trends”.
Enhancing Comfort and Longevity
Although the original can never go out of style, minor modifications can turn it into something more comfortable to the current lifestyle. Restoration straps, new cushions, or fresh upholstery add life back to old end products without damaging the integrity of the product.
Deszine Talks provides quality leather accessories that are designed to fit perfectly on traditional chairs. A new saddle-leather cushion, such as one, will not only cushion the seat, but will protect the original canvas or leather underneath. Worn straps can be replaced and make it ready.
The chair is easy to care:
- The wood should be oiled twice a year to keep up the finish.
- Wipe with soft damp cloth very lightly and occasionally condition leather.
- Harsh chemicals or direct sunlight are to be avoided to preserve color and patina.
These are just basic steps to keep the chair as beautiful and useful as when it was produced.
The Safari Chair Among Danish Icons
The Safari Chair stands proudly alongside other classics of Danish design. The Spanish Chair (1958) and Hunting Chair (1960) by BørgeMogensen’salso reflect Klint by using solid wood and leather, even though PoulKjærholm’s PK22 also experiments with themes of steel and leather.
They all have the same philosophy of honest materials, eternal proportions and furniture that gains value through use. But the Safari Chair is unique because it is one of the first--and most effective--examples of this philosophy. Its DNA can be tracked back to decades of the Scandinavian furniture that came after.
Why the Safari Chair Still Matters
The enduring popularity of the Safari Chair by KaareKlint for Rud Rasmussenis, however, not a coincidence. It is more than furniture and a statement of design values still topical today.
- Traditional but in a modernized version.
- Lightweight, portable, and comfortable.
- Made of genuine materials that last.
- A design that will be as fresh in 2025 as it is in 1933.
In a world of expendable furnishings, the Safari Chair help us learn about the importance of making investments in things that last- physically, aesthetically, and emotionally.
In a Nutshell
The Safari Chair by Kaare Klint for Rud Rasmussen is more than just a chair. Almost one hundred years since it was made, it still adds value to houses, inspires designers, and makes collectors happy.
It is attractive because of its simplicity: several pieces of wood, strong leather, and careful design are in perfect harmony with each other. That is the reason why it is a genuine icon of Danish modernism-and why it will always be popular with generations to come.